Janggapdol, feeling the weight of the pouch, cleared his throat.
“Ahem, just this once I’ll let it pass. There won’t be a next time!”
Finally released, Yeon Woo gasped for air.
Janggapdol, pocketing the coins, got to his point.
“I came to remind you of tonight’s face-washing ceremony. Make sure to come prepared.”
“Oh, thank you for the kind visit,” Dae Bok replied, grinning, seemingly appeasing Janggapdol’s ego.
Janggapdol, slightly embarrassed, turned sharply towards Yeon Woo.
“Especially you. Keep an eye out. If you don’t want a tough time here, bring double.”
Janggapdol warned Yeon Woo, his eyes sparking with a threat.
Yeon Woo, bewildered by the situation, wondered about the unwarranted violence and what she was supposed to bring.
She wanted to confront the rude man, but seeing Dae Bok bowing out, she realized it wasn’t wise to act rashly.
She settled for glaring at Janggapdol’s retreating back.
Once he was out of sight, Dae Bok heaved a sigh of relief, feeling years older.
“Phew… I almost broke my back cleaning up after you.”
“Why did you do that? Pandering to such a brute!” Yeon Woo vented her frustration.
Dae Bok, tired but serious, explained.
“In the military, it’s all about following orders. He’s our senior. Acting on impulse like today will only bring trouble.”
“But how is this right? It makes no sense!”
“The most nonsensical thing is this world itself. Ha ha ha.”
Yeon Woo, noticing the dirt on Dae Bok’s uniform, closed her mouth, feeling guilty for causing him trouble.
“Sorry… I got carried away. I’ll pay back the money. How much was it?”
“Don’t worry about it. Between brothers, who counts money?”
Dae Bok waved off the offer.
“Anyway, face-washing ceremony. Even in a small unit like this, traditions persist. Is it all the same wherever people live?”
“Face-washing ceremony?” Yeon Woo asked, puzzled.
“Yeah. Newcomers usually treat the seniors as a way of saying ‘please take care of me’. Usually with drinks or meat. I thought maybe it wouldn’t apply here, but I guess it does.”
“Oh… I didn’t know about such customs. Did you bring something?”
“I did, just in case.”
“This is serious. I didn’t prepare anything, not knowing about it… and I can’t just leave the base to get meat and drinks.”
Besides, Yeon Woo didn’t have the money to buy such things.
Dae Bok, seeing Yeon Woo’s face full of worry, spoke with a tone of regret.
“I’d share if I could, but I don’t have much myself… Besides, weren’t you told to bring double?”
“What should I do?”
Yeon Woo had thought that being a soldier was straightforward, but there turned out to be more to consider than she had expected.
She considered asking Bi Yeong for help, remembering his words to come to him with any difficulties. However, after boasting about managing the life of a soldier, asking for help would be like admitting her incompetence.
She had her pride as a woman; how could she claim to be a soldier if she couldn’t handle even this?
Yeon Woo wanted to avoid asking Bi Yeong for help.
Seeing Yeon Woo’s worried expression, Dae Bok asked, “Do you have any money?”
“No, I don’t…….”
“I heard that on the nights of the face-washing ceremony, a merchant comes to the camp selling meat and drinks. There must be others like you who couldn’t prepare. I’ll lend you some money. At least maintain your dignity this way.”
It seemed like money sprang from nowhere.
Dae Bok took out a pouch filled with coins and offered it to Yeon Woo.
Yeon Woo was horrified and pushed his hand away.
“No! I’ve already received enough help from you; I can’t burden you further.”
“If you don’t take this, you’ll surely face an unpleasant situation tonight. I don’t want to see you in such a state.”
“Still, I can’t just easily accept your kindness…….”
“It’s not a gift. You’re in debt now, so pay me back when I need help.”
As Yeon Woo adamantly refused Dae Bok’s money, he forced the pouch of coins into her hand.
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not free. I’ll collect double interest.”
Dae Bok winked with a mischievous expression.
How could someone unrelated by blood be so kind?
Yeon Woo, moved by Dae Bok’s gesture, looked at him with teary eyes.
“Brother…”
“Yuck! Take that look away! I don’t want such a gaze from a man!”
Dae Bok, whom she had initially thought strange for his odd words and jokes, turned out to be a warm-hearted person. Yeon Woo reconsidered her initial impression of him.
Night had fallen over Kwang Ho Gun’s camp.
A bluish moon rose above the camp’s sky.
Yeon Woo quietly left the trainee campsite to prepare for the face-washing ceremony, hurrying towards the north gate where the merchant was said to be.
The camp, set in the forest, was dimly lit with sparse torches, making it hard to distinguish shapes in the darkness.
“How can I find the merchant in such darkness…….”
As she wandered in the dark, looking for the north gate, a figure stealthily approached her.
Yeon Woo, unaware that someone was watching her, diligently searched the area around the north gate.
―Swish.
A figure that had approached her from behind drew a sword.
The bluish blade, reflecting the moonlight, touched the back of Yeon Woo’s neck.
“!”
Yeon Woo’s body froze instantly at the sudden sensation of the cold blade.
A chill ran down her spine as she felt a murderous intent prickle at her nape.
The approaching figure spoke in a familiar deep voice.
“Scampering around like a rat on your first day.”
The voice was chillingly threatening, one that Yeon Woo recognized.
“Turn around.”
Unable to defy the man’s command, Yeon Woo complied.
As she slowly turned and saw the face of the man, her breath almost stopped.
“……!”
Opposite her stood a familiar-faced man, shirtless, gazing at her.
Yeon Woo internally screamed in shock.
‘The madman of Baekaksan!’
The man was Geon, whom she had treated on Baekaksan.
Geon, standing before her bare-chested, displayed his well-toned muscles without a hint of excess fat.
His resilient skin gleamed like silk under the moonlight, and his Adam’s apple protruded, exuding masculinity.
The distinct curves of his collarbone and broad shoulders appeared as if drawn by a master artist, displaying a strong yet elegant demeanor.
However, Yeon Woo had no leisure to appreciate Geon’s physique, which resembled a painting.
She was too worried that he might recognize her as a woman, something she had never imagined encountering so unexpectedly.
Yeon Woo lowered her gaze to the ground to avoid Geon’s eyes, trying not to reveal her identity.
Fortunately, the moonlight behind her cast her face in shadow.
“On your first day, and already deserting. You’ve got some nerve.”
Geon growled lowly, his voice as cold as the blue moonlight.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
Link to read
